The Congress president praised Asansol’s Imam Imadadul Rashidi and Delhi’s Yashpal Saxena, who appealed for peace despite losing their sons in communal violence.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its parent organisation Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) over the violence that broke out in West Bengal’s Asansol.

The Congress president praised Asansol’s Imam Imadadul Rashidi and Delhi’s Yashpal Saxena, who appealed for peace despite losing their sons in communal violence.

"After losing their sons due to hate and communalism, messages from Yashpal Saxena and Imam Rashidi show that love will always defeat hatred in India. The foundation of Congress rests on compassion and mutual brotherhood. We will not allow the hatred spreading BJP/RSS ideology to win," Rahul tweeted.

Communal clashes broke out on Monday in Raniganj over a Ram Navami procession and soon spread to adjacent Asansol, where 16-year-old Sibtulla Rashidi, son of the Imam of Noorani Masjid was killed.

Despite losing his son, the Imam appealed people for maintaining peace who visited Idgah Ground, where his son was buried.”